TIMARU INFORMATION CENTRE
1 George Street, Timaru
In the 1840s, the Rhodes brothers used a former whaling site to land goods. They gave the small cottage on the beach to former whaler Samuel Williams, where he raised his family. His son William Williams was born there, his cradle was a gin crate. This marked the shift from seasonal whaling to permanent settlement—whaling laid the groundwork for the town to grow.
Can you find the plaque for Timaru's first European house on the Landing Services Buildings East wall?
In this photo you can see the boat launch at the foot of George Street, the Landings Service Building and beside, in the center the Rhodes cottage. Section from Hocken Snapshop hocken.recollect.co.nz/24023